Do you ever feel like your life is some sort of race? That you are just running around like a crazy person to get everything done? I think this feeling probably increases for a lot of us around the Christmas season.

I am trying to just enjoy all the festivities of the season and relax while making preparations for Christmas. Although I occasionally feel a sense of panic rush through my body! There is a lot to do. Because I am stubborn, I still have DIY gifts that I will be making. The reasonable part of my brain tells me to cool it and accept the fact that is about a week before Christmas and I don’t have time to do all I want to. Why does this happen every year? I will be pressing forward and try to complete my projects, my cooking and the wrapping.

I love Christmas and all that comes with it, but we don’t need a large amount of gifts. It is always nice to give something to say “I thought of you,” or “I love you.” We can say that with a gift or two, we don’t need piles of them!

We have slashed budgets and items in order to be reasonable and celebrate Christmas for the reason we believe it should be celebrated. To honor our Lord and Savior who came as a sweet little baby on Christmas Day.

I have tried to be somewhat practical when it comes to gifts for Gray. Knowing that he has many toys but still wanting him to smile and enjoy opening gifts. He is older so he will have more fun this year. Just like many of us, he doesn’t *need* anything. He has many toys to play with and a couple of cars will keep him giggling for hours.

So these are the gifts I have working on for him this year for Christmas:

This is the cutest car accessory, I think Gray will be excited to receive it!
Click on photo to see more and read the tutorial.
Maybe you have a little person that would love this!

We also found this really cute desk at a garage sale this summer. I think we paid $20 for it, what a steal! I have been working on refinishing it. Gray will look so cute sitting here, it even has a little drawer, I know cars will end up in there as well!

Thinking about what I wanted to write today and with the whole idea of a race in my head. I was reminded of a really cute book that I used to read to the sweetest trio of little girls! It would make a wonderful gift for the mini reader in your life.

Jamie Lee Curtis has a lineup of books, I like this one in particular.

“Is all about relishing the journey and making good choices along the way—because
how we live and how we love is how we learn to make the world a better place,
one small step at a time.”

“Is there really a human race? Is it going on now all over the place? When did it start? Who said, “Ready, Set, Go”? Did it start on my birthday? I really must know.”

“With these questions, our hero’s imagination is off and running. Is the human race an obstacle course? Is it a spirit? Does he get his own lane? Does he get his own coach?”

This is a great book with an awesome message. Makes me tear up everytime.

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I logged on to write my photo Friday blog. I’ve got to say, I am numb. I feel sick. I have a million questions and I have been in tears multiple times while watching the news.

I see my son wander unknowingly throughout our home, asking for a snack or a hug. All I can think of today are these Moms and Dads who lost their little ones today. Their babies who; like usual; sat down at their small desks to learn their ABCs and 123s. Most of those children in that small, primary colored classroom will not be going home tonight. As humans we generally band together in situations like these. We feel heartache even though we are all strangers and we live hundred of miles apart. We are born with an innate quality to protect and most of us would give our life to save a child. What a senseless, sick tragedy.

I can not help but think of the family of the shooter(s). The news states that he was a troubled and disturbed twenty year-old and had a plan to kill his mother, who was the kindergarten teacher at the school. This must have been one troubled young man. As a parent it would be difficult not to blame yourself. Wondering if their was anything you could have done.

All in all, today we are shaken. So much sadness, so much sickness in the world.

The only thing that brings some peace to my heart today, is that this is not our home. There is a song called, “This is my Temporary Home.” I am reminded of it today. It always brings tears to my eyes because it talks of a child who is 6. He does not have a family and is moved around foster homes. But, he explains that he is not afraid because earth is just his temporary home. These babies that passed away today are with the Lord, no pain and no fear. It is the people who are left behind that are in immense amounts of pain and suffering. They need our prayers.

As I was sitting down to write this today, I noticed a friend on Facebook who shared another’s status. He shared much of the same sentiment that I was feeling today in a very beautiful manner. He included a verse, it was more than appropriate.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” –John 16:33

The Lord is in control.

In some ways today my gratitude list seems selfish, for so many this day will always be remembered as horrific. So I will keep it short, and the items on the list will most likely be shared with many of you, especially in light of what has happened.

Give extra hugs and kisses to your babies tonight.

Today I am grateful for

#91 – my son that is safe, home in my arms today
#92 – prayer that provides peace
#93 – overwhelming love of family
#94 – knowing God knows why even when I don’t
#95 – His promises

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more
death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the
former things are passed away.
–Revelation 21:4

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We had a good week/weekend. It was fun, lots of time spent just hanging out together. We decorated for Christmas, had some family photos taken and Hubs and I had some downtime to talk and waste away in front of the tube.

Yesterday seemed like a long day. We were finishing a project (finally done! Yipee!!) and I had to do a big grocery shop, we had very little food in the house. I navigated through the busy, wide aisles of Costco. Sharing an occasional smile with a stranger, watching kids running around the aisles. Moms frantically trying to keep them distracted from the toy hidden at the bottom of the cart. It was kind of nice just milling about, alone.

You should know I NEVER grocery shop. In fact I do not like going, Hubby usually goes for me. Yesterday made me feel like I should go more often. It wasn’t so bad, it was kind of peaceful really.

With my trunk loaded full of bulk goods, I made my way home. Making a quick stop to pick up dry cleaning. Through the door, and my quiet disappeared rather quickly. Dear Dog barking, little Gray grabbing groceries out of the boxes and Hubby telling me about Dear Dog throwing up while I was away. I rushed to get dinner started, and while it was cooking we decided to sit and relax with Gray for a bit.

The silence did not last long, as we heard a large crash in the living room. Our tree had fallen over! There it was on its side. Broken bits of glass strewn across the floor, candy canes snapped in half from the impact. In the words of Gray, “Oh Nooo.” Matters got worse as Gray proceeded to pee all over the floor next to the tree. I don’t what came over me but I burst into laughter. I probably should of been crying after my long day, pounding head as evidence. But no I laughed. Thinking about it now still makes me smile.

This life of ours. Sometimes a little crazy, always way too much to do. But this, this works for me. Beautiful chaos.

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Here I sit, Monday again. I still on a tall stool at our island, Dear Dog under foot.
Little Gray to the right of me, crunching cheerios, sweetly sharing random
pieces with his favorite truck.

“Monday is a do-over,” I heard that on a movie yesterday. That monday is a fresh start to the week, essentially a chance to start over. I kind of liked that. There are somethings I would like to forget and undo from last week. Will Monday do that for me? I doubt it. But, my attitude will. Whatever I did last week, that showed something about me that I didn’t like, will certainly ring as an example as this week goes on.

With mistakes we usually get an awesome opportunity to try again.

We put the Christmas tree up this weekend. Gray was elated. His little eyes were bright looking at all the breakable pretty decorations. Sadly, his little hands just could not help but touch every single one. This presented a problem of course. The Christmas balls looked like apples and he kept trying to bite them! The cloth birds looked fun to throw and the beaded, homemade wreath looked simply nice to hold.
We had a few time outs this weekend.

Hard on this Mamas heart.

It made me think about all the things now and in the future that will need correcting. So much learning and growing to do and with that comes sadness and tears.
As his Mama I wish I could forego all those tantrums. Not because it makes him difficult, but because I would like to save him from the pain of those experiences. Ultimately I know it is part of growing up.

Funny enough, even I still have growing pains!

So if Monday is a do-over, here we go. Gray and I starting our week fresh, hopefully minimizing the tears and heartache while maximizing smiles of happiness!

Ephesians 4:32Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
as God in Christ forgave you.